Institute of Art Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire
On Show 2020
Aoife Mc Guirk

The present study aimed to examine participants’ subjective ratings of 12 art pieces as well as the emotions evoked by the art and whether the art was appropriate for a hospital setting. It employed a mixed-method design which utilized an online survey methodology. Five interviews were also conducted with St. Vincent Hospital’s Dr Susan Brannick, IADT’s art tutor Mark Joyce and with art students Aoife Murphy, Katie Whelan and Stephanie Kelly who created the artwork. Results indicated that participants preferred natural/ coloured artworks to abstract/ black and white artworks. They also experienced more positive emotions from natural/ coloured art and felt they were more appropriate for a hospital setting. Interviews highlighted the necessity for artwork to improve the waiting experience of St. Vincent’s outpatients and outlined the artistic process involved in the creation of the artworks. Overall, this study adds to the growing body of research which explores the effect of art on patients waiting experience and psychological well-being. The project was supervised by Dr John Greaney and it is planned that the artwork will be displayed in St Vincent’s University Hospital. The findings of this study displays what artwork a convenience sample believes is suitable for a hospital setting. Future research should be conducted with actual hospital patients.